GECs
‘L’il Champs’ finale rockets Zee to top of ratings charts
MUMBAI: The tykes really did a number for Zee TV with their chart-busting ratings performance. The Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs finale live event on 28 October fetched Subhash Chandra’s flagship channel a whopping 11.1 TVR, rocketing it to the top of the charts.
What was quite remarkable about the numbers, which is for the HSM 4+ TG, is that this is the average TVR the show generated over the full three-and-a-half hours it was on air and it was still well ahead of the perennial number one – Star Plus’ half-hour queen of soaps Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi – which registered a 10.3 TVR. The peak rating L’il Champs achieved was at 10 pm – of 15.4.
The performance of L’il Champs gave Zee TV a reach of 30 per cent taking the channel to 350 GRPs, while Star Plus and Sony had 454 and 151 GRPs respectively.
An elated Punit Goenka business head Zee TV remarked, “We are thrilled with the ratings of the finale. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs has been a very successful series since its inception. We have been overwhelmed by the response the show has garnered over the past few weeks. It provides an impetus to strive harder and clearly boosts the morale of the team. We will continue to put in our best efforts into making other shows such a grand success. As the average break TVR was 8.4, the show garnered high visibility for our partners as well.”
Title sponsor Hero Honda would certainly be pleased by that bit of news of course.
Expectedly, the highest ratings came in from the home cities of the three finalists.
* Kolkata – Rating 15.8 and reach 39 per cent.
* Mumbai – Rating 13.9 and reach 29.6 per cent.
* Delhi – Rating 11.4 and reach 29 per cent.
The Sa Re Ga Ma Pa story seems to be just getting better for Zee, much like American Idol has been for Chandra’s one time partner and now bitter rival in India Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Network.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
